In what the news called "The Miracle at Quecreek," nine miners trapped for three days 240 feet underground in a water-filled mine shaft "decided early on they were either going to live or die as a group."
The 55 degree (Fahrenheit) water threatened to kill them slowly by hypothermia, so according to one news report "When one would get cold, the other eight would huddle around the person and warm that person, and when another person got cold, the favor was returned." "Everybody had strong moments," miner Harry B. Mayhugh told reporters after being released from Somerset Hospital in Somerset.
"But any certain time maybe one guy got down, and then the rest pulled together. And then that guy would get back up, and maybe someone else would feel a little weaker, but it was a team effort. That’s the only way it could have been." They faced incredibly hostile conditions together—and they all came out alive together.
This is a picture of the body of Christ, the church. We are to encourage, exhort and come together during trying times in order to help one another. Therefore, being a godly example is imperative for this to occur.
However the devil would want to disrupt this from occurring so he tempts Christians to become what they were never designed by God to be.
In Proverbs 1:10-19, Solomon mentions four types of people to avoid becoming. We already looked at three of them – Practicing Sinners (vv. 10-19); Naïve – vv. 22, 32; Scoffers – v. 22.
4. The Fool – v. 22
The word for “fool” in the Hebrew means a “dullard,” a stupid, insensitive person. A fool is insensitive to the things of God and therefore lives his life in a stupid fashion, i.e. he become insensitive in his relationships to others. The basis for his foolishness is pride. The fool knows it all. Know one is to tell him what to do or how to do it. But when he opens his mouth, foolishness comes out. When he tries to live his life on his terms, he appears even more like a dullard.
What is interesting with these four classes of people is this: There seems to be a digression from bad to worse. For example, those who do not seek after the wisdom of God and therefore obtain it, become initially –
1. Practicing sinners.
Then if they still refuse God’s wisdom, they go from being a general sinner to –
2. Naïve or simple-minded.
If they still refuse God’s light and wisdom, then they digress further by becoming –
3. Scoffers, where they not only privately reject God’s revelation in Christ, but now they publicly scoff at it. And if they continue down this road of scoffing, then there is only one other category left, and that is --
4. Fools, people who are totally in bondage to their unbelief. These people are obstinate unbelievers and will under no uncertain terms listen to godly wisdom.
We find each of the categories of people within the church at times. Some have their foot in more than one category getting ready to transition from bad to worse.
The whole point Solomon is making in chapter 1 is that each of these four classes of people are in dire need of God’s wisdom, and if they refuse to reach out and accept it, then their lives will only become worse, not better.
This makes the question posed by Solomon even more urgent: “How long” (v. 22)? How long will those who are naïve, and those who are scoffers and those who are fools, how long will they remain in their sinful and lost condition? How long will you live like this? How long will you endure such folly? How long will you persist in your unbelief? How long will you continue to reject your only way of escape? How long will you put God aside? How long will you continue to digress toward the bottom? How long will you love to hate knowledge? How long will you live your life as an enemy of God? How long?
Christian, do all you can to avoid becoming any of these kinds of people:
Practicing sinners
Naïve
Scoffers
Fools
Avoid hanging with such people. Oh, you can be with them in the sense of witnessing and sharing Christ. Because now you have an objective, you are out to influence them not to have your life influenced by them. But be very careful. Be on the alert. Don’t compromise. It becomes harder to share Christ with these people especially as you get closer to the bottom.
Actually, the Book of Proverbs is really after the first two groups – people who are general sinners and naïve. But those who are scoffers and fools pretty much have their minds made up. They are not outside of all hope. God majors in the impossible. However, while they live whatever life they have left, they are also storing up wrath for themselves in the day of wrath (Rom. 2:5).
Rather than trying to remember all the little details of each group, just focus on becoming like Christ. When you do, you will not even become near to any of these that Solomon mentions. Because to become like Christ is to become holy, innocent, undefiled and separated from sinners (Heb. 7:26).
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
What God Does Not Want You To Become, Part 3
The consequence of ideas is illustrated well by this account from the USA, which took place in the early part of1900’s. Large business corporations were mushrooming everywhere and many of them were starting supermarket chains across the nation. However, they were facing a peculiar problem.
Thieves would strike at night, get into the clothes section, lift loads of clothes from the rails on which they were hung, and flee with them before the police could reach the supermarket. Electronic surveillance systems did not exist, the alarm systems were primitive, and modern electronics did not yet exist. Each robbery was costing them huge loss and they could see no way to prevent it.
After all their attempts at security had failed, the shop-chain owners turned to their own employees for suggestions. The request was that the employees come up with a strategy against the thieves that would be cheap but also effective. Many suggestions came in that would be very effective, but none was cheap or even affordable.
However, there was one suggestion that could be implemented free of cost, and made everyone laugh. Yet the management decided to give it a try.
The employee who made this suggestion said that the open side of all the hangers was always kept to the same side. He suggested that from then onwards alternate hangers should be hung facing opposite to each other. This was secretly done in all their establishments and nobody notice the change.
The next time the thieves hit one of their establishments, they got hold of a bunch of clothes with both hands and tried to pull the bunch off the rails as always. But the hangers could not be dislodged because half the hangers were facing the opposite direction. They tried to pull the bunch in the opposite direction, but to no avail because this time the other half faced the opposite side. Finally they had to pick up the clothes one hanger at a time, instead of the ten or twenty that they were always able to pull out at a time earlier.
No sooner had they started taking one hanger at a time, the time they needed increased to almost ten to twenty times what it had used to be. This delay in turn forced them to stay in the shop longer, without realizing it. This in turn enabled police to reach and arrest them.
Just a silly-looking idea, with no cost involved! Only a small change in the way things had been done before. The ultimate result was millions upon millions saved in the long run, as well as freedom from fear about the next strike by the thieves! Ideas do have consequences, and some consequences are astronomical in size or effect in comparison to the idea that brought them forth. This in turn means that, depending upon the attitude and goal of the idea-giver, the result can either be massively beneficial or massively destructive.
This is what makes the four groups of people God does not want us to become so crucial to analyze. Each group has its own ideas. And each group’s ideas can be massively destructive.
In my last two blogs, I analyzed two groups, one called Practicing Sinners (Prov. 1:10-19) and the other The Naïve or Simple Person (1:22). Now let’s analyze the third group:
3. The Scoffers (1:22b)
The scoffers are those who are basically arrogant. They know it all. They snub their nose at God’s revelation. They are the very ones whom Peter refers to concerning Christ’s Second Coming who mock and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything has remained the same since the beginning of creation until now” (2 Pet. 3:4). Yet, Peter tells us that their very presence among us is an indication we are living in the “last days” (v. 3; cf. Jude 1:18). Scoffers are people who follow after their own lust (v. 3) and who also forget some very crucial teachings found in the Word of God (v. 5). And the reason they forget such things is because they are blinded by their own arrogance.
Jude who apparently was quoting Peter in verse 18 of his little letter added to the description of scoffers by saying that they “cause divisions,” are “worldly minded” and “devoid of the Spirit,” which is just another way of saying that such people are without Christ. They are unsaved. Christians are not mockers. Their ideas which come from the bible and come from the Holy Spirit have beneficial results to others and to themselves.
One last thing. Back over in Proverbs 1:22, Solomon says that scoffers “delight themselves in scoffing.” The word “delight” means “to take pleasure in.” In other words, these people actually love to hear themselves talk, scorn, mock and scoff at spiritual matters. They take great pleasure in hearing themselves say such things. They think that their ideas are worthwhile and that such ideas matter. Perhaps, it is because they are somewhere out on a limb all by themselves with few others with them that they think of their ideas as wiser than others.
But God is going to get the last word, He always does. Paul said in Romans 3:4, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Christians are not to turn into such people. We delight in hearing God’s Word preach, proclaimed and taught accurately. We delight in knowing that God takes the initiative to speak to us and when He does, scoffing about God’s revelation will have a damming affect.
Yes, ideas have consequences. We all have ideas and such ideas will affect the way we both think and behave. Scoffers get their ideas from the world and from their own flesh. But Christians get theirs from God’s Word through the Spirit of God making God’s Word plain and understandable to us.
If you do not want to turn into a scoffer, then do not hang with such and therefore learn their ways. Ideas matter. Be certain the ideas that you receive draws you closer to God and not away from Him.
Thieves would strike at night, get into the clothes section, lift loads of clothes from the rails on which they were hung, and flee with them before the police could reach the supermarket. Electronic surveillance systems did not exist, the alarm systems were primitive, and modern electronics did not yet exist. Each robbery was costing them huge loss and they could see no way to prevent it.
After all their attempts at security had failed, the shop-chain owners turned to their own employees for suggestions. The request was that the employees come up with a strategy against the thieves that would be cheap but also effective. Many suggestions came in that would be very effective, but none was cheap or even affordable.
However, there was one suggestion that could be implemented free of cost, and made everyone laugh. Yet the management decided to give it a try.
The employee who made this suggestion said that the open side of all the hangers was always kept to the same side. He suggested that from then onwards alternate hangers should be hung facing opposite to each other. This was secretly done in all their establishments and nobody notice the change.
The next time the thieves hit one of their establishments, they got hold of a bunch of clothes with both hands and tried to pull the bunch off the rails as always. But the hangers could not be dislodged because half the hangers were facing the opposite direction. They tried to pull the bunch in the opposite direction, but to no avail because this time the other half faced the opposite side. Finally they had to pick up the clothes one hanger at a time, instead of the ten or twenty that they were always able to pull out at a time earlier.
No sooner had they started taking one hanger at a time, the time they needed increased to almost ten to twenty times what it had used to be. This delay in turn forced them to stay in the shop longer, without realizing it. This in turn enabled police to reach and arrest them.
Just a silly-looking idea, with no cost involved! Only a small change in the way things had been done before. The ultimate result was millions upon millions saved in the long run, as well as freedom from fear about the next strike by the thieves! Ideas do have consequences, and some consequences are astronomical in size or effect in comparison to the idea that brought them forth. This in turn means that, depending upon the attitude and goal of the idea-giver, the result can either be massively beneficial or massively destructive.
This is what makes the four groups of people God does not want us to become so crucial to analyze. Each group has its own ideas. And each group’s ideas can be massively destructive.
In my last two blogs, I analyzed two groups, one called Practicing Sinners (Prov. 1:10-19) and the other The Naïve or Simple Person (1:22). Now let’s analyze the third group:
3. The Scoffers (1:22b)
The scoffers are those who are basically arrogant. They know it all. They snub their nose at God’s revelation. They are the very ones whom Peter refers to concerning Christ’s Second Coming who mock and say, “Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, everything has remained the same since the beginning of creation until now” (2 Pet. 3:4). Yet, Peter tells us that their very presence among us is an indication we are living in the “last days” (v. 3; cf. Jude 1:18). Scoffers are people who follow after their own lust (v. 3) and who also forget some very crucial teachings found in the Word of God (v. 5). And the reason they forget such things is because they are blinded by their own arrogance.
Jude who apparently was quoting Peter in verse 18 of his little letter added to the description of scoffers by saying that they “cause divisions,” are “worldly minded” and “devoid of the Spirit,” which is just another way of saying that such people are without Christ. They are unsaved. Christians are not mockers. Their ideas which come from the bible and come from the Holy Spirit have beneficial results to others and to themselves.
One last thing. Back over in Proverbs 1:22, Solomon says that scoffers “delight themselves in scoffing.” The word “delight” means “to take pleasure in.” In other words, these people actually love to hear themselves talk, scorn, mock and scoff at spiritual matters. They take great pleasure in hearing themselves say such things. They think that their ideas are worthwhile and that such ideas matter. Perhaps, it is because they are somewhere out on a limb all by themselves with few others with them that they think of their ideas as wiser than others.
But God is going to get the last word, He always does. Paul said in Romans 3:4, “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Christians are not to turn into such people. We delight in hearing God’s Word preach, proclaimed and taught accurately. We delight in knowing that God takes the initiative to speak to us and when He does, scoffing about God’s revelation will have a damming affect.
Yes, ideas have consequences. We all have ideas and such ideas will affect the way we both think and behave. Scoffers get their ideas from the world and from their own flesh. But Christians get theirs from God’s Word through the Spirit of God making God’s Word plain and understandable to us.
If you do not want to turn into a scoffer, then do not hang with such and therefore learn their ways. Ideas matter. Be certain the ideas that you receive draws you closer to God and not away from Him.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
What God Does Not Want You To Become, Part 2
Las Vegas now has a call-in "Connection Confession" line where people can call and confess their sins to a recording. America's first confession line makes it possible, for a fee of $9 per three minutes, to record your sin, and if you want to pay a little more you can listen to other people's sins.
Apparently the service is being bombarded by calls. One of the originators said, "It's a technological way to get something off your chest without the embarrassment that comes from confessing one on one."
But do you know what it really is? Besides a money maker for someone? It's confession without accountability. This is precisely what the Lord wants us to understand in Proverbs 1. There are four kinds of people God does not want us to turn into thinking that there will be no accountability. Just the opposite.
Review: The first one God wants us to avoid turning into are practicing sinners (vv. 10-19).
Second, God does not want us to become naïve – Prov. 1:22: "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?”
The word “simple” in the Hebrew is quite revealing. It is the word used to suggest “open-mindedness.” How often are we told to have an “open mind?” We hear things like, “Oh, come on now, have an open mind. Go into this with an open mind. Attend this meeting with an open mind? Experience something new with an open mind.”
But that is exactly what God does not want for anyone of us. He does not want us to have an open mind. That can be a severe problem. If our minds are open, someone other than God can fill it. By the way, when it comes to our mind, God does not tell us to open it, but to what? “Guard” it!
In fact, check out some of these passages:
“The peace of God shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philip. 4:7). God will not open your mind, but guard it. But on the other hand, you and I need to fill it with “whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute. . .let your mind dwell on these things” (v. 8). God wants our minds filled with His Word and guarded not open.
But you ask, “Well how can my mind be filled if it is not first opened?” God does the opening and filing of our minds, not us. Besides, what are we to use to guard our minds? God’s Word. And when we use God’s Word to guard our minds, what are we doing at the same time? Filling it with the truth of Scriptures. To have an open mind is to receive the revelation of God found in the bible, not to open it up by attending a meeting where someone is giving an alternative view of some doctrine found in the bible.
We are also told to “guard ourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Jesus said “be on your guard against every form of greed” (Luke 12:15). Greed is a sin that does not come only in one nicely wrapped package, there are many forms, so Jesus says, be on guard. Peter told us to “be on guard so we will not be carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from our own steadfastness” (2 Pet. 3:17). Finally, Paul told the pastors at Ephesus to “to be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock,” why? Verse 29 – “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”
Please do not ever think that you are somehow more knowledgeable or more sophisticated because you approach life and learning with an open mind. There are situations where we need to do this especially when it comes to traditionalism and culture. But by and large, be a person who guards his mind in Christ Jesus.
Or to put it another way, open your mind to the things of God found in the Holy Scriptures, but all else, do your very best to guard your mind. To go around with an open mind on all various sorts of things is to become naïve.
Would you manage your home like that? Would you simply have an open house policy where anyone can come and go inside your home thinking that somehow you were being a good neighbor? No, we guard our homes. Why? To protect what’s on the inside. If the wrong people somehow get into our homes, they can do damage to the things inside, and they can steal things.
So it is with our minds. Satan is a thief and a destroyer (John 10:10). He can change himself and his teachings into noble and good things which merely counterfeit what is right (2 Cor. 11:14). Once he gets a foothold into our minds, he can begin to damage things and worse, steal other things.
Ever had your joy stolen? Ever had your peace turn suddenly into anxiety? Perhaps, it happened because you had an “open mind policy.” Paul clearly taught that the “peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” If God wants to guard your minds with His peace, how much more should you also in cooperation with God guard your own mind with His Word?
More to come.
Apparently the service is being bombarded by calls. One of the originators said, "It's a technological way to get something off your chest without the embarrassment that comes from confessing one on one."
But do you know what it really is? Besides a money maker for someone? It's confession without accountability. This is precisely what the Lord wants us to understand in Proverbs 1. There are four kinds of people God does not want us to turn into thinking that there will be no accountability. Just the opposite.
Review: The first one God wants us to avoid turning into are practicing sinners (vv. 10-19).
Second, God does not want us to become naïve – Prov. 1:22: "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways?”
The word “simple” in the Hebrew is quite revealing. It is the word used to suggest “open-mindedness.” How often are we told to have an “open mind?” We hear things like, “Oh, come on now, have an open mind. Go into this with an open mind. Attend this meeting with an open mind? Experience something new with an open mind.”
But that is exactly what God does not want for anyone of us. He does not want us to have an open mind. That can be a severe problem. If our minds are open, someone other than God can fill it. By the way, when it comes to our mind, God does not tell us to open it, but to what? “Guard” it!
In fact, check out some of these passages:
But you ask, “Well how can my mind be filled if it is not first opened?” God does the opening and filing of our minds, not us. Besides, what are we to use to guard our minds? God’s Word. And when we use God’s Word to guard our minds, what are we doing at the same time? Filling it with the truth of Scriptures. To have an open mind is to receive the revelation of God found in the bible, not to open it up by attending a meeting where someone is giving an alternative view of some doctrine found in the bible.
We are also told to “guard ourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Jesus said “be on your guard against every form of greed” (Luke 12:15). Greed is a sin that does not come only in one nicely wrapped package, there are many forms, so Jesus says, be on guard. Peter told us to “be on guard so we will not be carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from our own steadfastness” (2 Pet. 3:17). Finally, Paul told the pastors at Ephesus to “to be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock,” why? Verse 29 – “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”
Please do not ever think that you are somehow more knowledgeable or more sophisticated because you approach life and learning with an open mind. There are situations where we need to do this especially when it comes to traditionalism and culture. But by and large, be a person who guards his mind in Christ Jesus.
Or to put it another way, open your mind to the things of God found in the Holy Scriptures, but all else, do your very best to guard your mind. To go around with an open mind on all various sorts of things is to become naïve.
Would you manage your home like that? Would you simply have an open house policy where anyone can come and go inside your home thinking that somehow you were being a good neighbor? No, we guard our homes. Why? To protect what’s on the inside. If the wrong people somehow get into our homes, they can do damage to the things inside, and they can steal things.
So it is with our minds. Satan is a thief and a destroyer (John 10:10). He can change himself and his teachings into noble and good things which merely counterfeit what is right (2 Cor. 11:14). Once he gets a foothold into our minds, he can begin to damage things and worse, steal other things.
Ever had your joy stolen? Ever had your peace turn suddenly into anxiety? Perhaps, it happened because you had an “open mind policy.” Paul clearly taught that the “peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” If God wants to guard your minds with His peace, how much more should you also in cooperation with God guard your own mind with His Word?
More to come.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
What God Does Not Want You To Become, Part 1
We often hear sermons on what God wants us to become. But let’s take quick look at what God does NOT want us to become.
There are four groups of people God does not want you and I to become.
First, God does not want any of us who claim the name of Christ to become practicing sinners – Prov. 1:10: My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
The reasons are obvious: Sinners entice. The word “entice” means to “deceive, “seduce” or “persuade.” The idea is that sinners will seduce and persuade you to become what they are. Don’t let them do this to you. Take a stand and say “no.”
The word “sinners” is a general term for unbelievers. Now this is practical because sometimes for us Christians, we figure that the more “relevant” we become the better our chances of becoming an effective witness. So when sinners or unbelievers entice us to go with them and to participate with them in what they do that is quite questionable, we go ahead and do it anyway. Pretty soon we do not look at all like Christians separated unto Christ, but more like unbelievers. Whatever testimony we had to begin with has been eroded by our compromise in order to be relevant.
What are some things sinners do? They want to attack the innocent without cause (v. 11). Second, their greed causes them to rob their victims (vv. 13-14). They run not away from but toward evil and the shedding of blood (v. 16). When they do such things, they are actually setting for themselves their own trap (v. 18).
We are Christians and we are not to sound like, look like or behave like those of the world. In order to have an effective testimony, it is not so much what you do that matters, but what you by the grace of God choose not to do.
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn't know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen.
He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.
After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
Turning to her he asked. "Daughter, what do you see?" "Potatoes, eggs, and coffee," she hastily replied. "Look closer", he said, "and touch the potatoes." She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
"Father, what does this mean?" she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity - the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.
"Which are you?" he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?" In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
When sinners entice you, will you be able to stand strong against the temptation and allow your testimony of what Jesus has done within you to impact your those around you? Do this even when a temptation or trial entices you to live outside of the will of God. Some turn soft as potatoes and others hard like an hard-boiled egg. Why should we allow sinners or anything to entice us? By saying no and not participating in their schemes, you will be making more of a positive statement than you can imagine. You will stay completely loyal to God.
More to come.
There are four groups of people God does not want you and I to become.
First, God does not want any of us who claim the name of Christ to become practicing sinners – Prov. 1:10: My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them.
The reasons are obvious: Sinners entice. The word “entice” means to “deceive, “seduce” or “persuade.” The idea is that sinners will seduce and persuade you to become what they are. Don’t let them do this to you. Take a stand and say “no.”
The word “sinners” is a general term for unbelievers. Now this is practical because sometimes for us Christians, we figure that the more “relevant” we become the better our chances of becoming an effective witness. So when sinners or unbelievers entice us to go with them and to participate with them in what they do that is quite questionable, we go ahead and do it anyway. Pretty soon we do not look at all like Christians separated unto Christ, but more like unbelievers. Whatever testimony we had to begin with has been eroded by our compromise in order to be relevant.
What are some things sinners do? They want to attack the innocent without cause (v. 11). Second, their greed causes them to rob their victims (vv. 13-14). They run not away from but toward evil and the shedding of blood (v. 16). When they do such things, they are actually setting for themselves their own trap (v. 18).
We are Christians and we are not to sound like, look like or behave like those of the world. In order to have an effective testimony, it is not so much what you do that matters, but what you by the grace of God choose not to do.
Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn't know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen.
He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot, and ground coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing.
After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup.
Turning to her he asked. "Daughter, what do you see?" "Potatoes, eggs, and coffee," she hastily replied. "Look closer", he said, "and touch the potatoes." She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Its rich aroma brought a smile to her face.
"Father, what does this mean?" she asked. He then explained that the potatoes, the eggs and coffee beans had each faced the same adversity - the boiling water. However, each one reacted differently. The potato went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but in boiling water, it became soft and weak. The egg was fragile, with the thin outer shell protecting its liquid interior until it was put in the boiling water. Then the inside of the egg became hard. However, the ground coffee beans were unique. After they were exposed to the boiling water, they changed the water and created something new.
"Which are you?" he asked his daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a potato, an egg, or a coffee bean?" In life, things happen around us, things happen to us, but the only thing that truly matters is what happens within us.
When sinners entice you, will you be able to stand strong against the temptation and allow your testimony of what Jesus has done within you to impact your those around you? Do this even when a temptation or trial entices you to live outside of the will of God. Some turn soft as potatoes and others hard like an hard-boiled egg. Why should we allow sinners or anything to entice us? By saying no and not participating in their schemes, you will be making more of a positive statement than you can imagine. You will stay completely loyal to God.
More to come.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Thank God For Getting Older
Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance – Titus 2:2 NIV
Isn’t it true that old age is often associated with maturity, wisdom and patience? In the Book of Job it says that “Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding” (Job 12:12).
But sadly this is not always the case. As I get older, hopefully I am getting wiser, but this one thing I do know to be true: I experience decrease energy, blurred vision, harder times hearing, little more aches and pains, and a whole lot of cynicism. Now don’t tell me that some of these things are not true of you, they are. I know, I fellowship with some of you and where do you think I get some of these things?
As we grow older, change can become harder to accept. Life can be less satisfying, less fulfilling and more complicated because of some of the physical limitations we face. Besetting sins can become so much a part of our lives that we tend to forget that such things are wrong to begin with.
However, as believers, getting older should also give to us a greater love for God and better appreciation for His people. Those who have walked with God for many years have so much to pass on to the younger generation. They also have the prospect of seeing God sooner and hearing those wonderful words, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
A church should always honor its older saints. A church is blessed beyond what most may realized when on Sunday its services are graced with the presence of older and more mature saints.
In fact, older saints are to be respected at all times, especially when they sin. For example, Paul said, “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father” (1 Tim. 5:1). Older men and women do sin and they certainly are not perfect. Nevertheless, they are to be treated with special respect and consideration by the church and by those who are younger.
Giving older people periodic public honor and recognition is a good idea. Treating them with respect when they sin is a good idea. Listening to them and learning from their example and life’s experiences, plus tapping into their knowledge of the Word are better ideas.
In the church there are older men. Strive to be like them. My kids when they were a lot younger would tell me, “Dad, you’re old. I will never get old.” I replied, “Well, if you do not want to get old, then you’ll die young.” After hearing me say that a couple of time, and now that they are now older, I have never heard them make any more of those kinds of comments. They are now realizing that with old age come benefits: Driving, jobs, their own bank accounts, personal privacy, treatment like adults rather than just kids, more freedom, and increase knowledge and wisdom.
Oh yeah, there are some awesome advantages in being older. Oh, and by the way, when we go hiking, even at the age of 52, I still leave my kids in the smoke while climbing up a mountain. Maybe that’s why they don’t like to hike with me anymore.
Isn’t it true that old age is often associated with maturity, wisdom and patience? In the Book of Job it says that “Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding” (Job 12:12).
But sadly this is not always the case. As I get older, hopefully I am getting wiser, but this one thing I do know to be true: I experience decrease energy, blurred vision, harder times hearing, little more aches and pains, and a whole lot of cynicism. Now don’t tell me that some of these things are not true of you, they are. I know, I fellowship with some of you and where do you think I get some of these things?
As we grow older, change can become harder to accept. Life can be less satisfying, less fulfilling and more complicated because of some of the physical limitations we face. Besetting sins can become so much a part of our lives that we tend to forget that such things are wrong to begin with.
However, as believers, getting older should also give to us a greater love for God and better appreciation for His people. Those who have walked with God for many years have so much to pass on to the younger generation. They also have the prospect of seeing God sooner and hearing those wonderful words, “Well done, My good and faithful servant.”
A church should always honor its older saints. A church is blessed beyond what most may realized when on Sunday its services are graced with the presence of older and more mature saints.
In fact, older saints are to be respected at all times, especially when they sin. For example, Paul said, “Do not sharply rebuke an older man, but rather appeal to him as a father” (1 Tim. 5:1). Older men and women do sin and they certainly are not perfect. Nevertheless, they are to be treated with special respect and consideration by the church and by those who are younger.
Giving older people periodic public honor and recognition is a good idea. Treating them with respect when they sin is a good idea. Listening to them and learning from their example and life’s experiences, plus tapping into their knowledge of the Word are better ideas.
In the church there are older men. Strive to be like them. My kids when they were a lot younger would tell me, “Dad, you’re old. I will never get old.” I replied, “Well, if you do not want to get old, then you’ll die young.” After hearing me say that a couple of time, and now that they are now older, I have never heard them make any more of those kinds of comments. They are now realizing that with old age come benefits: Driving, jobs, their own bank accounts, personal privacy, treatment like adults rather than just kids, more freedom, and increase knowledge and wisdom.
Oh yeah, there are some awesome advantages in being older. Oh, and by the way, when we go hiking, even at the age of 52, I still leave my kids in the smoke while climbing up a mountain. Maybe that’s why they don’t like to hike with me anymore.
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